Hair clipper



Patented May 11, 1943 UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIR-CLIPPER Symon Z. Gibson, Seattle, Wash. Application OctoberSO, 1942, Serial No. 463,862

3 Claims.

This invention relates to hair clippers and the like, and it has reference more particularly to mechanically driven clippers of the kind used by barbers for the cutting of hair; it being the principal object of this invention to. provide an improved driving mechanism adapted for use in mechanically driven clippers for the reciprocation of the movable cutter blade.

More specifically stated, it is the object of this invention to provide an improved mechanism for the functional actuation of the' reciprocal blade of the hair clippers that will give a more positive action; that willreduce wear to a minimum on the driving and driven parts; that is.

simple and relatively inexpensivein construction and which can be operated indefinitely without requiring adjustment, attention or replacement of parts.

Other objects of the invention are to: be found.

in the provision of a blade reciprocating gearing forhair clippers and the like comprising an electric motor contained within the clipper handle having its drive shaft connected through a worm gear reduction to rotatably drive a cross shaft carried in the clipper head and on the ends of which cross shaft, cams are fixed to operatively contact with rollers mounted on the opposite ends of a centrally pivoted rocker lever, from which an arm extends, and which arm has an operating connection with the reciprocally movable blade of the clippers.

Still further objects of the invention are to be found in the various details of construction and in the combination of parts embodied by the invention as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying draw ing, wherein Fig. 1 is a side view of hair clippers embodying the improvements of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the clippers with parts of the case removed and parts shown in section for purpose of better illustration.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the clipper, showing the blade reciprocating gearing.

Fig. 4 is a detail, showing the relationship of a cam at one end of the driven cross shaft with a roller at the corresponding end of the rocker lever by which the blade is reciprocated.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing use of gears as an alternative for the smooth cam and roller illustrated in Fig. 4.

While the present mechanism is especially applicable to electrically operated hair clippers, it is not the intent that it be'restricted thereto, and in the following description, it is to be understood that power other than provided through electrical energy might be used to drive the main shaft.

Referring more in detail to the drawingl designates in its entirety, a hair clipper embodying the present invention and comprising a handle portion, designated in general in Fig. 1- by reference numeral 2-and a clipper head that is designated, in general, by reference numeral 3.

Afiixed to the clipper head is a stationary clipper blade 4 and reciprocally mounted thereon, in the usual manner, is the reciprocally movable blade 5. Asshown, the blades are disposed in a plane inclined with respect to the axial direction of the handle, as is commonly the mode of arrangement.

The handle body comprises a tubular shell 2a, as notedin Figs. 2 and 3, and contained therein is an electric motor comprising the field members 6 and an armature 1, which latter is supported by a drive shaft 8. Electric current for the motor may be supplied thereto through circuit wires indicated at 9 and under control of a switch I0 contained within the end portion of the handle.

The clipper head comprises a frame, preferably one that is cast or molded of suitable plastic composition, but which might well be of metal. This frame has a fiat base portion I2 and an upright back wall l3 to which the handle body 20. is secured. Integral with the base and back are upright, spaced apart ribs l4-|4, symmetrically located at opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the clipper, as noted best in Fig. 2. Extended through these ribs is a transverse shaft I5, revolubly mounted in metal bushings l6 fitted in the ribs. Keyed on this cross shaft between the gearings is a worm gear l1 and this is designed to be driven by a worm l8 fixed on the motor drive shaft 8.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 3 that the motor shaft extends forwardly through the wall I3 and is revolubly contained in a metal bearing l9 that is applied to and held secure within a socket in the wall. The bearing I9 is spherical and the socket is shaped accordingly to seat it and permits the bearing to readily accommodate itself to the position of the shaft 8. A plate 20 is applied over the socket and is held in place by screvgs 2| threaded into the wall l3 as seen in Fig.

On the opposite end portions of the transverse shaft l5, just outside the ribs I l-l4 are cams 22-22, circular in form and fixed eccentrically on the shaft ends; these cams being of like diameter, and equally eccentric on the shaft, but oppositely offset from the shaft axis with respect to each other, as observed in Fig. 2.

Directly forward of the shaft l5, and in alinement with the motor shaft, a vertical pivot bolt 25 is fixed in the basewall 12 of the clipper head. This pivot bolt 25 is held at its lower end in a bearing portion 26 integral with the base. Mounted to oscillate in the bolt, just above the bearing 26 is a rocker lever 21. This lever extends lengthwise of shaft l and at its opposite ends is equipped with rollers 28-28 in rolling contact with the corresponding cams 22-22 on shaft l4.

Extending forwardly from the rocker lever, and radially with respect to the axis of pivot bolt 25, is an arm 30 which at its end has a head 3| slidably fitted between opposite side wall surfaces of a slot 32 in the reciprocally movable clipper blade 5, so that, incident to oscillation of the arm by reason of reciprocal action of the cross lever, under driving action of the cross shaft IS, the blade 5 will be reciprocated on the base blade to effect the clipping action as is well understood.

The head portion of the blade has a removable metal cover 35 fitted thereto as noted in Fig. 1 to enclose the operating mechanism, and this is held in place by a cap 31 through which the upper end of the bolt 25 extends and against which a nut 38, threaded onto the shaft end, engages.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated an alternative construction wherein the smooth surfaced cams and rollers 22 and 28, respectively, are replaced by gears 22', and 28' which may be preferred in some instances.

With this device, the operating parts could be operated in heavy grease and there would be no appreciable wear. The advantages reside in the positive action, long wear, ease of access and simplicity of construction.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hair clipper, in combination, a reciprocally movable clipper blade, a pivot stud, a lever mounted on the pivot stud for oscillation, a driven shaft, cams on the said driven shaft engageable with the lever at opposite sides of the pivot stud whereby rotation of the shaft causes a positive and definite oscillating action of the lever, and an arm extending from the lever into an operating connection with the clipper blade for reciprocating it.

2. In a hair clipper, a frame, a blade fixed therein, a blade reciprocally movable on the fixed blade, a pivot stud fixed in the frame, a lever mounted on the stud for oscillation thereon, an arm extended from the lever into operating connection with the reciprocally movable blade, rollers on the ends of the lever, a revolubly driven shaft, eccentric cams on the ends of the driven shaft in operating contact with said rollers whereby rotation of the shaft causes a positive oscillation of the lever.

3. In a hair clipper, a frame, a blade fixed thereto and a blade reciprocally movable upon the fixed blade, a pivot stud fixed in the frame, a lever mounted at a central point on the stud for reciprocation, and extended in the direction of oscillation of the blade, a lever arm extending from the lever in a direction radially of the pivot stud, and having an operating connection at its end with the movable blade to actuate the latter, rollers mounted on the ends of the lever, a cross shaft revolubly mounted in the frame, a driving gear on the shaft intermediate of its ends, means for driving the said gear, circular cam wheels fixed on the cross shaft at its ends and eccentric thereof in opposite directions relative to the shaft axis and in rolling contact with said rollers on the said lever whereby rotation of the cross shaft causes oscillation of the lever.

SY'MON Z. GIBSON. 

